London: England Test captain Joe Root has said that the appointment of Stephen Fleming as head coach played a decisive role in his decision to return as the team's leader, expressing confidence that the pair can guide England towards a successful new era.

Speaking to the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), Root said Fleming's outlook on the game and his plans for the side convinced him that the timing was right to take charge once again. The ECB recently confirmed Fleming as England's new Test head coach, while Root has replaced Ben Stokes as Test captain following Brendon McCullum's departure.

"If I'm being brutally honest, it [Fleming's appointment] was a big reason why I wanted to do it. I'm very excited by the way he sees the game, where he sees us sit as a team, and the work that we have to do to get to where we want to get to. All of that got me very excited about taking this role on," Root said.

The former England skipper also highlighted Fleming's vast experience, both as an international cricketer and a highly successful coach, saying he is eager to begin working alongside him.

"I'm very much looking forward to working with him. He's obviously got a wealth of experience and done some amazing things within the game as a player and as a coach, and I'm very much looking forward to the next little while, and us trying to build something pretty special together," he said.

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Looking back at the past four years, Root described the period as the most enjoyable phase of his professional career. He credited the team's philosophy during that time for helping him better understand his role and develop as a player.

"The last four years have been the most fun I've had in professional cricket, and a big part of that was down to the way that they got me to see the game, how I fit into that side, and the experiences that we managed to create on and off the field," Root said, according to Cricinfo.

While acknowledging that recent performances have shaped public opinion, Root insisted England had made significant progress over the previous four years and said those experiences would influence his approach as captain.

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"Clearly, the last little while is probably what's fresh in everyone's mind, but you're looking at a four-year period where we did a lot of amazing things. I've taken a lot from that, and I feel it will be a big part of how I want to approach things moving forward as a leader of this team," he said.

Root also emphasised the importance of maintaining the fearless style of cricket that has defined England in recent years, while ensuring the team adapts intelligently to changing match situations.

"The thing that stands out the most for me is the shift in mindset that was created around how we want to play the game: trying to strip the fear away from things, make sure guys feel that they can really just allow their talent to come out as frequently as possible, and in big moments in games. The more that can happen, the better," he added.

"If we can do that alongside recognising when the right time is to put pressure back on teams, or when the right time is to soak it up and to maybe play situations slightly differently, become a little bit smarter in certain areas, then I think we'll be a very formidable team, and a very difficult team to break down and to beat," he said.

England are expected to announce their squad for the upcoming three-Test series against Pakistan next week. Most of the players are currently participating in The Hundred, while the team will have only two full training sessions before the opening Test at Headingley on August 19. Marcus Trescothick is set to oversee preparations as interim head coach, with Fleming due to remain in New Zealand initially because of family commitments. (ANI)